Swimming Hole Closes In Northern Territory Due to “Salty”

Swimmers in the top end Berry Springs had a shock on the weekend after a saltwater croc decided to take up residence in the swimming hole.

Neva McCartney, the director of Northern Australian Parks of the Department of Tourism and Culture explains swimmers alerted nearby park rangers to the reptiles intrusion.

The rangers went and investigated and it was 95 per cent sure it was a small saltie, a saltwater crocodile. So we evacuated the pool and got everyone out of the water so we can go in tonight and do some surveys and try to locate the crocodile and remove it from the pool.

A ranger on the scene estimated that the intruding saltwater croc was around 1 to 1.3 metres long. Unfortunately for tourists and local swimmers the pool will be closed till the origins of the croc is investigated. However, this is not the first time a croc has appeared in the swimming hole.

It's only a kilometre from salt water, so we have got all the traps in, we do all our surveys … but there's no real barriers to stop a small animal getting in there. That's why we do the surveys as regularly as we do.

Saltwater crocs, or "salties," have an enormous range, populating the brackish and freshwater regions of eastern India, Southeast Asia, and northern Australia. They are excellent swimmers and have often been spotted far out at sea. National Geographic’s very own Outback Wrangler deals with the salt water croc on a daily basis. He works as a wildlife re-locator – tracking down, capturing and transporting a diverse range of dangerous animals including crocodiles, not unlike the “salty” found in the Top End.

Ms McCartney assures swimmers that the popular swimming pool will be open as soon as the proper surveys are completed.